


Retroactive Reality

by jakia



Category: Glee, Glee RPF
Genre: Gen, M/M, Meta, Multi, Other, Science Fiction, gen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-02
Updated: 2013-06-27
Packaged: 2017-11-17 14:40:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/552668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jakia/pseuds/jakia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Glee kids are real, but so is their fanbase.  A machine that can predict the future gets used to create a new reality show, and the glee kids are the stars.  The problem? The things you see on tv haven’t actually happened yet.  AU.  Sort of RPF, but not really.  Klaine.  As meta as you can get while still being a fanfic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

\--  
  
 _Retroactive Reality,_  they called the phenomenon that came after it.  They had built a machine that could show the future. Kurt ignored it when they first started talking about it on the news, thinking that it sounded like it was something out of a science fiction movie and leaving it at that.  He was in the ninth grade—he had more important things to worry about, like what to wear and how to avoid being thrown in a dumpster.  
   
The problem with it, from a government standpoint, was that it was unreliable and completely unpredictable.  It worked by showing the day of someone’s life.  The problem was that you had no way of knowing ahead of time who or what was important; fifty years ago, September 11th was just another day.  Five hundred years ago, the name Adolf Hitler meant nothing.  If you didn’t know who or what to look out for, then you wouldn’t find anything.  
   
The second problem was that it was completely unreliable.  The future was in a constant state of change; the police once tried to use the machine to predict a man killing his wife.  Only, it never happened: the man the machine showed killed his wife because she cheated on him, but in reality the woman never cheated on him because she—for some reason—drank coffee instead of tea that morning, and so never met her future lover, never cheated with him, and so was never killed by her husband.  The man was innocent, and the courts decided that until the machine could be used to _accurately_  show the future, it wouldn’t hold up in a court of law.  
   
Naturally, the entertainment industry decided it could use the machine to its advantage;  _anyone’s_  life was interesting if you could record and edit out the boring parts.  A new genre of television was born:  _speculative fiction_ , so called because it hadn’t happened yet, and it probably never would, but the possibility had existed at one point and  _that_  was where the entertainment was at.  
   
(That was America for you: a machine that could predict the future, and they used it to make television.)  
   
Kurt didn’t pay much attention to it because he really didn’t think it mattered much, and, well, reality tv was reality tv, whether it had happened yet or not.   
   
Then they announced their plan to make a show about a  _glee club_  from  _Ohio_ , and Kurt Hummel started paying attention.  
   
\--  
   
The way it had happened, Ryan told him, was simple; they had been flipping through random people, and they had come across a girl-- _Rachel Berry_ \--while she was singing, and thought she sounded beautiful.   So they followed her perspective future for a little while and found her and her future-friends  _fascinating_ , and wanted to do a show about them.  Of course, the Rachel Berry Show sounded terrible, even to them, and so they decided to follow Rachel and  _all_  of her friends, recording bits of their lives and editing it into a show they planned on calling  _Glee_.   
   
Kurt Hummel, apparently, was one of their planned “characters.”  
   
(They were originally going to follow another boy named Raj, Ryan told him, but Kurt and his future story had  _moved_  them, and they wanted to show him off.  He had too much talent to be wasted in  _Lima Ohio_ , and Kurt had almost cried because finally,  _finally_ , someone understood that.)  
   
The legal aspect of it was pretty simple: all Kurt had to do was sign a piece of paper granting them executive rights to showcase his life via the machine, to edit and record what they saw fit, and to broadcast it on public television.  There were boundaries of course—he was under aged, so there would be no nudity shown, and he had to share screentime with twelve other people, and his father had to sign, too—but overall, Kurt was thrilled.  He was going to be on  _television_.  He was fifteen years old, and he was going to be on tv.  Well, his future-self was going to be on tv, at least.  
   
And worse case scenario--even if he just swayed in the background while Rachel Berry sang—he still got a pretty paycheck every month, enough to buy him name-brand, designer clothing, and still have enough that he could put back for college.  Assuming the show didn’t get canceled, at least.  
   
He signed the contract without a second thought.  
   
\--  
   
The show was…quirky.  
   
Overall, he liked it, even if he wasn’t in it as much as he had hoped to be in the first episode.  It mostly focused on Mr. Schue and Finn, and wasn’t that a laugh and a half?  Watching Mr. Schue blackmail Finn would have been funny if it wasn’t so illegal, but even then it was funny because no one could do anything about it.  Technically, Mr. Schue had done nothing wrong  _yet_ ; the show was under  _speculative fiction_  for a reason.  
   
But the show was funny and he  _liked_  the Kurt he saw on it—a talented fashionista only slightly taller than he was now, who could deliver dry wit like nobody’s business.  That, and the digitally altered music ( _Autotune was a wonderful thing,_  Ryan told him) made listening to Rachel Berry…actually sort of enjoyable, if he was honest.   
   
It was less fun watching it with his Dad, however.  
   
“She’s cute.” Dad hummed when Ms. Hudson came on the screen; Kurt looked like he threatened to throw up.  
   
“Dad, that’s  _Finn’s mother._ ”  
   
“I know,” Dad grinned.  “She’s still cute.  How come I’ve never met her before?”  
   
“I don’t—I don’t really hang out with Finn, Dad.”  
   
Dad smiles, pointing at the screen.  “Oh yeah?  Well, when you do, can you make sure to introduce me to her?”  
   
Kurt rolls his eyes, but still manages to hide a small smile.  “ _Maybe_ , Dad.  We’ll see.”  
   
\--  
   
The show is an instant-hit: everyone thinks it’s funny and entertaining, and the whole school is talking about it, laughing and giggling about their lives put on display.   
   
It hasn’t made them cool or popular, but it  _has_  made talked about, which is almost as good. It plays like clockwork every Tuesday, and it starts to feel like he might get out of Lima someday after all.  
   
FOX agrees to showcase another three years of their lives by the time the second episode premieres. Contracts are renegotiated almost immediately; Rachel Berry insists on singing at least once an episode or else she’s quitting.  He’s getting paid more, and they’re trying to figure out a way to put the music they sing in glee club up on iTunes in order to sell even more.  
   
It’s all Kurt Hummel has ever wanted, and he doesn’t have to do anything but live his life: it’s the best deal he’s ever made.  
   
\--  
   
It doesn’t really occur to him until four episodes in that this is  _real life._   No, it’s  _his life_ , and that’s what makes it scary.  
   
In the fourth episode, he joins the football team, and, more importantly, comes out of the closet to his dad.  
   
His dad doesn’t say a word the entire episode; he just sits there, quietly holding Kurt’s hand, and Kurt watches in awe as his father— _on television—_ claims to love and accept him no matter, that he’s known what Kurt is since he was three, that Kurt doesn’t have to hide who he is inside.  
   
The Kurt watching the show sobs into his father’s arms, and feels a heavy burden fly off of his chest without ever having to say a word.  
   
\--  
   
The next day, he gets slushied and thrown into a dumpster three times.  
   
\--  
   
That episode is also the first time Kurt realizes that the show is having real world effects on more than just him.  
   
Finn Hudson is shouting at Quinn Fabray from the top of his lungs in the middle of the hallway—everyone in school can hear them yelling at each other.   
   
“You  _cheated_ on me!” Finn screams.  “You cheated on me with Puck, and you got pregnant, and then you tried to  _trick me into thinking I was the father!_   How  _could_  you?!”  
   
Quinn is absolutely sobbing, a completely mess of a once-pretty girl.  “But I  _haven’t_.  I haven’t cheated on you.  I’m not  _pregnant_.  I’m still a virgin!  Please, Finn, I  _haven’t_ done anything!”  
   
Finn slams his locker.  “But you  _will_.” He accuses her, tears in his eyes before storming out of school, leaving a crying Quinn behind.  
   
And that’s the thing, isn’t it?  She  _will_  cheat on Finn, because she’s  _seen_  it.  She knows what will happen: will she try to change it?  If she does, her child won’t exist.  Anyone with eyes knows Quinn Fabray doesn’t  _want_  a baby, but would she actually go as far as to avoid conceiving the baby?  Is it murder if she changes things, decides not to get pregnant?  How fucked up is  _that?_  
   
Can any of them change things?   _Will_  they?  Have they entered some sort of weird self-fulfilling prophecy, or will things change?  
   
What have they actually agreed to, here?  
   
\--  
   
A couple of days after The Episode, as Kurt has come to call it, he receives an email.  
   
It’s the first real piece of “fan mail” that he’s gotten, and it moves him to tears.  
   
The boy who writes to him is his age, a fifteen year old gay boy from Westerville, Ohio, a boy named Blaine.  And he’s  _so_  sweet and polite and, apparently, thinks the world of Kurt.  His email is long and emotional, so full of life that it makes Kurt burst into tears.  This boy has been hurt because of his sexuality, too.  He’s been teased and made fun of, bullied and beaten.  Unfortunately for him, his parents haven’t been nearly as accepting as Kurt’s dad has been, and Blaine thinks of how  _lucky_  Kurt is that his dad loves him so much.  He ends the email by saying that he hopes this isn’t too creepy, but he’s so glad Kurt is on the show because Kurt makes him feel like things will get better someday, that Blaine has something to look forward to someday.  
   
Kurt  _cries_ ; Kurt cries his eyes out, and then he writes him back.  
   
He’s not sure why; maybe it’s because he’s lonely, or maybe it’s because Blaine’s from Ohio, or maybe because Blaine’s gone through so much of the same things Kurt has gone through.  He writes to him, and he tells him all the things Kurt has gone through that doesn’t end up on  _Glee_ , and how grateful he is to hear from Blaine, and how he wishes Blaine went to his school because then he wouldn’t feel so damn  _alone._  
   
Blaine writes back, and Kurt responds, and then  _Blaine_  responds, and for two weeks they write these deep, heart-felt emails to one another that eventually leads to them friending each other on facebook.   _So we don’t have to be alone anymore._  
   
 _\--_  
   
The Blaine Anderson he finds on facebook is a small boy, absolutely tiny compared to the other boys he stands beside in his profile picture.  His glasses hide his pretty hazel eyes, and his hair is curly and wild and in desperate need of a cut.  Kurt’s surprised this kid gets bullied because of how absolutely  _straight_  he looks; he doesn’t look like Kurt at all.  He looks masculine—a little tiny, a little nerdy, but  _manly_.  He doesn’t look gay at all.  
   
Still, fifteen minutes of facebook stalking later proves his new friend’s sexuality, as well as the intense bullying he receives on a day to day basis.  At least Karofsky and Puck never tried to friend him on facebook.  The boy can’t seem to catch a break from anyone, and it seems like anyone who used to be his friend stopped once he came out of the closet.  Kurt can’t help but shake his head because really, how could anyone be so mean to this guy?  He’s so sweet and easy to talk to, so genuinely  _kind_  that Kurt’s heart aches just thinking about him.  
   
In fact, he’s actually kinda cute, in the whole “desperately needs a haircut and a wardrobe change” sort of way.  
   
 _I feel misled_ , Kurt writes via private message.   _You didn’t tell me you were so cute._  
   
He presses send before he can talk himself out of it, then logs off and runs away blushing, glad that  _Glee_  shows off his future and not the mess he’s making right now.  
   
\--  
   
After  _Ballads_  airs, Finn Hudson shows up at his house unexpectedly.  
   
(The only time Finn has ever been to Kurt’s house before has been to nail lawn furniture to Kurt’s roof.)  
   
The first thing Finn does is apologize.  “I’m so sorry, man.” Finn says once Kurt lets him in the house, closing the door behind him.  “I didn’t mean to treat you so badly.  I guess I just did it because everyone else did, and that’s not cool, dude.”  
   
Kurt shrugs.  “It’s okay.  I’ll forgive you eventually.”  The room goes quiet, and then: “What are you  _doing_  here, Finn?”  
   
It’s Finn’s turn to shrug.  “I don’t know.  I just wanted to talk, I guess.”  
   
“Talk about what?”  
   
“ _Anything_.” Finn laughs uneasily, taking the offered soda from Kurt’s hands.  “I can’t talk to Puck because he’s going to sleep with my girlfriend, and I can’t talk to Quinn because she’s going to sleep with my best friend.  And I don’t want to talk to Rachel—she’s been so damn  _stalkerish_  since this whole  _Glee_  thing started, it’s hard to talk to her.”  
   
“That sounds like Rachel alright.” Kurt grins. “Why me, though?”  
   
Finn shrugs.  “I don’t know—you seem pretty cool on the show.  I mean, you’re the only one on the show who ever gave me any halfway decent advice.”  
   
“That backfired completely, remember?” Kurt raises his eyebrow.  
   
“Yeah, well, it was still better than anyone else’s.”  Finn snorts.  “That, and my mom has this  _ridiculous_  crush on your dad, so I’ve seen the episode where you come out like a bazillion times, and I guess I feel like I know you better than I actually do.”  
   
Kurt just smiles.  “My dad was asking me about your mom in the very first episode.”  
   
Finn makes a face.  “That’s so  _gross._ ”  
   
“Oh come on now.  It’s kind of sweet.  They  _like_  each other.”  
   
“They’ve never even met!”  
   
“Maybe we should set them up?” Kurt teases.  “Introduce them, make them go out on a blind date…”  
   
Finn snorts.  “That’d still be weird though, man.  I mean, don’t get me wrong—you’re dad is  _awesome_ , it’s just, what if they got married?  We’d be _brothers._ ”  
   
“Stepbrothers, Finn.” Kurt says fondly.  “Not the same thing.”  
   
“Yeah, but you fall in love with me eventually, and that’d just be all sorts of weird.”  
   
The house goes silent.  
   
Finn sets his glass down, the sound vibrating through the table, into the air of the house itself.  “You shouldn’t do that, by the way.”  
   
“Do what?”  
   
“Fall in love with me,” Finn says, completely serious.  “I don’t know what the rules of  _this_  are, if we’re supposed to just let the future happen like we’ve seen it, but I don’t want you to get hurt, either.”  He pauses.  “I’m  _straight_ , dude.”  
   
Theoretically, Kurt already knows this: he knows this because every time Finn is on screen, he’s flirting with a girl.  He knows this because Finn has never shown any interest in him whatsoever, knows that Finn is probably destined to spend his life with Quinn or Rachel or maybe both of them.  
   
It’s still hard, though.  
   
“I’ll try not to.” Kurt says softly, and Finn smiles so largely it lights up the entire room.   
   
“This is so weird,” Finn laughs.  “Before this whole  _Glee_  thing, I didn’t even know I could sing.  Now I’m on iTunes, and the guys in the locker room ask me to sing like, all the time.  Mind you, they still make fun of me because of the whole glee club thing, but I think they secretly enjoy it.”  
   
Kurt smiles.  “I’ve always known I could sing, I just didn’t think anyone else would know or care before I graduated high school.”  
   
“That sucks, dude.  I don’t get why.  You’re really good.  You totally should have gotten that  _Wicked_  solo instead of Rachel.”  
   
Kurt blushes.  “You think so?”  
   
“Totally.  Hey, listen, do you think you could help me practice some?  I was reading online about these people saying how I’m one of the weakest male singers on the show, and I wanna fix that.”  
   
They spend the next three hours singing and laughing and talking, and Kurt thinks that life is so  _unfair_ , because it’s way too easy to fall in love with Finn Hudson when he’s like this, all smiles and laughter and beauty.   
   
“The thing I don’t get is  _why_ , though,” Finn says late at night, when they’re too drunk on companionship to care much anymore, a few old episodes of  _Glee_  playing in the background.  “They have the technology to project the future.  Why aren’t they using this to save people’s lives rather than watching us perform show tunes?”  
   
Kurt snorts, watching as Rachel kills yet another ballad.  “Because this makes them more money in the long run, and that’s all they care about.”  
   
Finn frowns at the tv, a little disgusted with himself.  “But they  _shouldn’t_.”  
   
“No, they really shouldn’t.”  
   
\--  
   
He’s shopping with Mercedes when he gets the text from Blaine.  
   
 _You have to check this out! I just found_ Glee _fanfiction!_  
   
Kurt groans.   _You’re writing some right now, aren’t you?_  
   
His phone buzzes three seconds later.   _I’m totally writing some.  I’m shipping you with Puck until someone better comes along._ His phone vibrates again.   _Maybe Mike instead.  Asian solidarity and all._  
   
 _I hate you so much._   Kurt texts back.  
   
 _You wouldn’t be saying that if I shipped you with  ~Finn~ <3_  
   
Kurt’s face flushes bright pink.   _I hope you die in a fire._  
   
Blaine only texts him back a field of hearts.  _< 3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3_  
   
\--  
   
After  _Laryngitis_  airs, Blaine doesn’t talk to Kurt for a week.  
   
Kurt thinks that he’s angry with him, that he hates him and is disappointed in him for pretending to be straight with Brittany.  Kurt wouldn’t blame him; Kurt’s a little disappointed in himself at the moment, if he’s completely honest.  He’s already gotten emails from fans asking for him to stop pretending to be something he’s not, that they liked him a lot more when he himself, that his Dad will love him no matter what.  
   
(Also, from a dance teacher in New York:  _I like your version of Rose’s Turn better than the original_ , which warms him deep inside his core.)  
   
It turns out that’s not the case at all; Blaine hasn’t even seen the episode yet.  
   
Blaine’s been in the hospital since Friday.  
   
 _What happened?!?!?_   Kurt texts furiously, sad and angry and afraid all at the same time.  
   
 _Sadie Hawkin’s Dance,_  Blaine texts, and the wheels in Kurt’s head click.  Blaine’s been excited about that dance for weeks, if his facebook is anything to go by.   _I made the mistake of going with a boy.  They beat the shit out of us._  
   
Kurt almost drops his phone.   _Are you okay?_  
   
 _Broke my wrist.  Cracked a rib.  Got a concussion._ A pause.   _No, I’m not okay._  
   
Kurt’s heart stops as he thinks of Blaine, bright eyed, dorky Blaine, lying there in a hospital bed, miserable and broken because of the hate in this world.   _Is there anything I can do?_  
   
 _Sing to me._   Blaine texts back, and Kurt dials his number, pressing the phone to his ear.  
   
“Hey,” Blaine answers softly, sounding drugged and not entirely awake yet.   
   
“What do you want me to sing?” Kurt whispers, phone clutched to his ear.  
   
“Something happy.” Blaine whispers.  It’s the first time they’ve called each other before—they’ve usually just text or facebook one another.  Kurt’s surprised at how  _pretty_  Blaine’s voice is, like he could just listen to him talk forever.  
   
Kurt stays on the phone with Blaine well into the night, singing every Disney song he knows until he can hear Blaine’s gentle snores on the other end.  
   
\--  
   
 _Can’t deal with this anymore._   Blaine texts him during lunch.   _I’m leaving Westerville._  
   
 _Come to McKinley_ , Kurt teases gently.   _You could be on_ Glee  _with me._  
   
 _Tempting,_ Blaine texts back.   _My parents want me to go to Dalton._  
   
 _Where’s Dalton?_  
   
 _30 min closer to Lima._    
   
Kurt frowns.   _So still an hour away?_  
   
 _Yeah.  It’s a private, all-boys school._  
   
Kurt smiles.   _Fancy.  Sounds like fun._  
   
 _They have a zero tolerance, no bullying policy._   Blaine writes back.   _I’m…I’m thinking about it._ He pauses, counting his breaths.   _Am I a coward for thinking about it?_  
   
\--  
   
After  _Theatrically_  airs, he gets a text from Finn.   
   
 _I am sorry for calling you a fag. Idk what my future self was thinking._  
   
Kurt chokes back a sob.   _It’s okay.  I forgive you._ He pauses, and then texts  _I’m sorry for being such a creeper._  
   
Because watching his future self stalk a boy he now considers a friend out of a desire for love and acceptance is  _painful,_ and it hurts him right down in his soul.  He didn’t know.  His future self, he didn’t know how uncomfortable Finn felt.  He was just trying to—he was just trying--  
   
It takes over an hour for Finn to text him back.   _It’s alright.  Let’s make a deal—you promise not to be a creeper, and I’ll promise not to call you a f—names.  We know the future.  We can avoid this._  
   
And that’s the best thing about this, isn’t it?  They  _do_  know.  They can avoid the really hurtful stuff.   
   
\--  
   
Blaine always calls him at the  _weirdest_  times to talk about fanfiction.  
   
“Oh God!” Blaine squeals in his phone at ten o’clock at night, right in the middle of his moisturizing routine.  “You’ve got to read this--I’m sending you the link right now.  I’ve had it all wrong—it’s not Puck/Kurt or Mike/Kurt, its  _Artie/Kurt!_   Best. Thing.  _Ever_.”     
   
“Blaine,” Kurt says in his sweetest voice possible.  “Stop reading fanfiction about me.  It’s creepy.”  
   
Blaine laughs into his ear.  “I’m not reading the dirty stuff!  Just the fluffy, romantic stuff.  It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.”  
   
Kurt blushes slightly.  “Why do you have to read the stuff about me?  Why can’t you read an embarrassing story about Finn instead?”  
   
“But you’re my favorite,” Blaine teases, and sounds— _almost_ —flirty.  The problem with being friends with Blaine is that almost everything he says sounds flirty.  It wasn’t this bad when their relationship was based only on texts and emails and facebook, but now that they’ve added each other’s voices to the mix all Kurt can focus on some days is the beautiful subtext layered in between the words Blaine says.  “Why  _wouldn’t_  I read all the good stuff about you?”  
   
Kurt wills his heart to stop beating so fast.  “Go to bed, Blaine.  It’s late.  I’ll—I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”  
   
“Alright.  Sweet dreams.”  
   
Kurt hangs up the phone and breathes.   _Retroactive_   _reality_  is a good term for it; there’s no way he’s going to let what he’s seen come to life.  He won’t humiliate himself for Finn; he won’t let himself get hurt.   
   
But he’s grateful for it, too.  After all, without it, Blaine wouldn’t be in his life, and that would be a  _damn_  shame.  
   
\--  
   
“Dude, did you know people like, write stories about us and stuff?”  Puck tells him after class.  Puck has never actually ever  _talked_  to him before, but he has stopped throwing Kurt into dumpsters, which is a plus.  “The Puckzilla is not gay, but if it got chicks to be all into it like they are online, I’d totally make out with you on camera.  Just saying.”  
   
Kurt’s face turns so red it reaches his ears.  “Go  _away_ , Puckerman.”  
   
“I’m just saying, dude, I would take one for the team!   _Especially if it meant chicks would put out!”_  
   
\--  
   
The season finale comes during the last week of school, showing them in March of the next year.  
   
They lose at Regionals; Quinn has a baby who she gives to Rachel’s mom; Figgins disbands the club, but  _Sue_  of all people convinces him to give it back to them.   
   
It’s a lot to take in, especially since it will be a whole summer before he sees any more of it.  
   
(And it will be a whole summer before he’s expected to start  _living_  it, before the stuff he’s seen starts becoming his reality.)  
   
“Man, hiatuses  _suck_ ,” Blaine complains over the phone as Kurt leaves his last class for the year. “It’s going to be  _forever_  before I get to see you again.”  
   
Kurt wills his ears to stop turning red.  “You know, you don’t  _have_  to just see me on tv.  We could hang on sometime.  In person.”  
   
“ _Really?_ ” Blaine asks, awed, like he can’t really believe it.  “You want to hang out with me? For real?”  
   
The disbelief in his voice makes Kurt laugh.  “Of course I want to hang out with you, Blaine! You’re one of my friends.”  
   
He can almost  _hear_  Blaine blush through the phone.  “…I don’t have a lot of those.”  
   
“Me either.” Kurt admits, which is true.   _Fans_ , yes, he has a buttload of fans, but actual friends he can count on one hand and still have fingers left over.  Blaine is something of a mix of the two, but Kurt likes talking to him and he likes the way the thought of Blaine makes his heart pound in his chest.  “We should hang out.”  
   
“Cool.” Blaine breathes in.  “We can go shopping:  Westerville has a pretty nice mall. Not that I really need new clothes—Dalton has a uniform, apparently.”  
   
Kurt frowns.  “That  _sucks_.  I can’t imagine having to deal with a uniform.”  
   
Blaine laughs.  “I know, right?  But it’s worth it to get away from…everything, you know?”  
   
Across the parking lot, Karofsky and Azimio crack their knuckles and watch.  
   
Kurt gulps;  _Glee_  may have made him famous, but it hasn’t made him popular.  “Yeah,” he breathes.  “I know.”  
   
\--  
   
“Quinn slept with Puck yesterday.”  
   
It’s a late May evening, and inside the house their parents are busy flirting over dinner.  They figure that since they are going to date in the future, it’s okay to start dating now.  Finn’s been quiet all evening, but he hasn’t said anything until they were alone outside, and to hear it like that—so blunt and so cold, makes Kurt wince.  
   
“It’s really happening then, isn’t it?”  
   
Finn nods.  “She said she couldn’t  _not_  do it.  Not now, not since she’s seen Beth.  She said it wasn’t fair to her baby, that she didn’t deserve to…I don’t know, not die?  Not exist, I guess, just because her mom couldn’t take care of her.”  
   
Kurt puts his hand on Finn’s shoulder.  “How are you feeling?”  
   
Finn folds into himself.  “I thought one of the perks of knowing the future was that you got the chance to change it.  I didn’t—I  _knew_  this was going to happen, and you know what?  It  _still_  hurts.”  
   
Kurt doesn’t say anything, but he does hold Finn’s hand while he cries and he wonders, not for the first time, if any of them really knew what they signed up for.  
   
\--  
   
That summer is the first time Kurt leaves Ohio.  They want to do a photo-shoot with the gleeks in LA, so Ryan flies them all in.  He gets to wear designer clothes and have other people fuss over his hair, so it’s sort of like a dream come true, in a way.  
   
It’s also the first time all the glee kids have been in the same room with each other.  
   
Surprisingly, it’s a lot of fun.  Puck is less of an asshole when he’s in a group, and Santana’s snark is very, very real, but also  _hilarious._   And Brittany is adorably dumb, almost frighteningly so, but he absolutely adores her and calls her boo, which makes her happy.  Then there’s Mercedes, and Tina, and Artie, people he  _already_  likes, and his heart is ready to burst with warmth.  
   
These people are his  _friends_.  
   
Not yet, though, not really.  But they’re  _going_  to be, and he can tell.  He’s like, ridiculously fond of these people, and he’s only just seen them on tv.  But they’re ridiculously fond of him as well.  They’re famous, yes, but they are also  _people._   And they are all in this together.  
   
\--  
   
That summer in LA, spoilers fly.  Ryan is a  _troll_ , obviously, and Kurt takes every spoiler he hears with a grain of salt.  There’s a lot of talk about different things that are supposed to happen: a new transfer student named Sam joins New Directions, a rumor about a closeted football player, about Kurt getting a  _boyfriend_ , and the internet being what it is, somehow all three rumors become one and everyone assumes that, at some point in season two, Kurt’s going to date Sam.  
   
“Lucky you!” Mercedes teases him in their hotel room, browsing through tumblr because it’s late and she doesn’t have anything better to do.  “Of course, the spoilers also say that  _I’m_  supposed to get a boyfriend, too, but I don’t believe them.  Ryan, Brad, and Ian hate me.”  
   
Kurt rolls his eyes, but lies down next to her.  “They don’t  _hate_  you.”  
   
“Sure they do!  I take away from the  _Rachel Berry (and Kurt Hummel!) Show!”_  Mercedes grins, poking him in the ribs.  “Don’t worry, they hate Tina, too.  And they  _really_  hate Mike Chang.  And Matt, poor baby, they hate him so much he’s not even coming back for season two!”  
   
Kurt frowns.  “Yeah, but he’s  _moving._   It’s not like they planned that.”  
   
Mercedes looks at him oddly.  “Sometimes, I wonder if they don’t plan certain things, knowing that we’ll react to them in certain ways.”  Before he can respond, Mercedes begins to fume, furiously typing on her laptop.  “Another bitch called me fat again.  I swear, I could hurt these people.”  
   
 “They just don’t what real beauty looks like, sweetheart.  Besides, isn’t that part of the whole being-famous package?  People talk about you on the internet.”  Kurt laughs, but kisses her on top of her head.  “You’ll get over it; I know I have.”  
   
\--  
   
But the fame thing is new, too.  It’s  _interesting_ , and just a little bit odd.  People notice him when he walks down the street; they stop and they talk to him, gushing with praise.  They send him long winded emails, telling him how he’s inspired them.  
   
And he  _knows_  this, knows it’s not just a figment of his imagination, but to  _see_  it is a whole new world.  Los Angeles isn’t Lima, after all.  People aren’t nearly as homophobic here.  He feels like he’s a celebrity, the way people stop him and ask for his autograph, and ask to take his picture.  It’s weird because, technically, he hasn’t  _done_  anything yet, but here he is, reaping all the benefits.  He’s even up to win a  _Golden Globe_ , for Best Supporting Male in a Speculative Fiction (Comedy).  He doesn’t think he’ll get it, but it’s amazing just to be nominated.  
   
What he’s learning is that there is a whole big world out there, outside of Lima, Ohio.  It’s a big world, but it’s one that  _adores_  Kurt Hummel.   
   
And he can’t wait to see more of it.  
   
\--  
 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: This is not finished and it will never be finished, because I can't justify the world watching Karofsky's outing with the knowledge that, should that happen, he'd immediately try and kill himself. That's way too dark for anything I want to write.
> 
> But.
> 
> Since the original fic is making rounds again, I decided to go back and look at what I had written of chapter two. I made it all the way past Furt, and most of it? I really like.  
> So even though it's not finished and never will be, enjoy chapter two.

The second his plane lands in Ohio, Kurt’s phone goes off.

 

It’s Blaine.

 

“Hey, I just got back—“

 

“I AM GOING TO BE ON GLEE!”

 

Kurt nearly drops the phone. “Wait, _what_?”

 

Blaine pants into the phone, like he can hardly breathe he’s so excited. “Ryan called me this morning—I must’ve sent you a thousand texts but I guess you didn’t get them because you were on the plane—but I’m going to be on Glee!”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes!” Blaine laughs. “I can hardly believe it myself! Mind you, I’m not going to be full time like you—I’m just going to be in three episodes right now, but Ryan said if my character is popular enough I could get bumped up! Can you believe it? Oh God, I’m so excited I can just—“

 

 _This is real._ Kurt thinks suddenly, sucking his breath in as Blaine rambles in his ear. _Oh God_ , _this is real._ _ **Blaine**_ _is real. He’s a part of your life, your future. Your stupid crush could be_ _ **real**_. _He could be--_

 

“—and I have no clue what I’m going to wear and—Kurt? Are you still there? Is this a bad time? I can call back later—“

 

“No no, you’re fine, I’m just…processing. Congratulations.” _Deep breathes, Kurt._ And then, because he can’t help himself: “You do know if you’re going to be on Glee, people will start writing fics about _you_ instead of me.”

 

“…Oh God, I didn’t even _think_ about that. That’s going to be awesome! Kind of creepy, but awesome.” He stops, thinking it over for a minute. “Actually, I wonder if I’ll even be popular enough to get fics.” Kurt can hear him frown over the phone, his enthusiasm draining. “Actually, I’ll probably just be in the three episodes…I’ve never been popular.”

 

Kurt grins into the phone. _How could anyone_ _ **not**_ _adore you, you’re the sweetest person I know._ “I’ve never been popular either, but people seem to like me well enough. You’d be surprised.”

 

Beside him, Dad walks up with their luggage, rolling his eyes like he can’t quite believe his son is already on the phone when they’ve been off the plane for ten minutes.

 

“Maybe,” Blaine laughs, warm and inviting in his ear. “Anyway, tell me about your trip! How was LA? Are you really going to date a football player like the spoilers say? I want to know _everything_.”

 

* * *

 

 

By the tail end of August, school has started up again, and the McKinley high glee club has been reborn under the leadership of Mr. Schuester. Kurt auditions with _Mr. Cellophane_ and watches Mr. Schue grin, like he can’t quite believe this is really happening.

 

He’s still not popular, and he’s still getting bullied, but it’s _different_. Puck throws him into dumpsters for show, but then helps pull him out when he thinks no one is looking. Santana smiles at him softly in the hallway, and Brittany hugs him and talks to him all the time, and when people look on scandalized because she’s _not_ _supposed to like him yet,_ she just grins. Rachel talks to him about song selection because she trusts his opinion on music more than anyone else’s, and because it makes him smile at her affectionately rather than maliciously.

 

After their first glee practice, Artie wheels up behind him, awed. “This is going to be the best thing that’s ever happened to us, isn’t it?”

 

And Kurt nods, because it _already_ is the best thing that’s ever happened, and it can only get better from here.

 

* * *

 

 

Tuesday, October 5th marks the first ever Hudson-Hummel dinner and _Glee_ night. Carole and Finn come over around five, and Kurt and Carole make dinner (horribly greasy cheeseburgers, but its Dad’s favorite) while Dad and Finn watch the game. It feels…nice. Normal. Like they’re actually a family.

 

It feels good.

 

Which makes watching _Glee_ this week so painful, bundled next to his father and (possibly) future stepmother and stepbrother. He has to watch his Dad have a heart attack and know there’s nothing he can do about it. He watches himself fall apart and push everyone else away. He watches his friends struggle with how to help them, but knowing that they’re just making it _worse._

 

He watches Finn pray to a grilled cheese sandwich to touch Rachel’s boobs.

 

“I’m not that selfish,” Finn swears, angry and hurt and more than a little upset, sitting alone outside while their parents do—whatever they do on date nights, Kurt doesn’t want to think about it. Kurt can’t blame Finn, either—he’s upset, too, though for a few different reasons. “I swear to you, I’m not. I think of Burt as a father. I wouldn’t—I _wouldn’t_ —“

 

“I know you wouldn’t.” Kurt hushes him, tucking himself inside his knees. “You may be a bit dumb, Finn, but you aren’t _heartless._ I know you’d pray for Dad,” and Kurt laughs suddenly, because the mental image is too much for him. “Even if it was to a grilled cheese sandwich.” Which, for all Kurt cares, might as well be God. The sandwich certainly took more care of Finn than any other deity has ever cared for Kurt.

 

Finn grins at him, ruffling his hair with a brotherly sort of fondness. “Maybe we can take Burt to the doctor now, you know? Stop him from having a heart attack in the first place.”

 

“Trust me, I’m calling to make an appointment first thing in the morning.” Kurt smiles, a little of his anxiety gone. “Also, I hope he enjoyed dinner—it’s the last cheeseburger he’s ever going to eat.”

 

Finn barks with laughter, and Kurt’s heart fills with warmth. Maybe _Glee_ doesn’t show everything—it didn’t show Finn crying or praying over Burt, but there isn’t a doubt in Kurt’s mind that Finn did those things, that Finn cares about him.

 

And if _that’s_ the case, then who knows what else isn’t shown in the hour they get every week? Maybe he can change things.

 

Maybe he can change _so_ much.

 

* * *

 

 

It’s funny, watching himself flirt with Sam on the show. Well, not _that_ funny, because while Sam is cute, Kurt doesn’t think he’s _that_ attractive ( _Blaine is cuter_ , a horrible voice in his head whispers, but Kurt does his best to ignore it). Mostly though, it’s just funny because the Kurt on screen doesn’t really seem to be all that into it. It’s like he’s just going through the motions, doing what is expected of him. There is a new kid whose sexuality is ambiguous: _of course_ Kurt is going to hit on him.

 

And yet…

 

He doesn’t know what it is, but something about the way Kurt’s acting on screen makes him think he’s doing this out of some sort of obligation. Like maybe he’s read the spoilers over the summer and thinks Sam is supposed to be his boyfriend.

 

Oh God.

 

He _did_ read the spoilers over the summer. He _does_ think Sam is supposed to be his boyfriend. Holy shit.

 

It’s almost a relief to watch himself relieve Sam of the duet. As much as it hurt to hear what his Dad and Finn have said, they were also so very right, and Kurt _knows_ this, even if it is hard to swallow. Especially if Sam is still in the closet, like all the spoilers say.

 

So instead he watches himself perform a fabulous rendition of _Le Jazz Hot_ , and then watches with even more amusement as Rachel Berry—of all people!—sings a duet with him, makes him feel better about himself.

 

 _I know you’re lonely,_ the Rachel on screen tells him, _but you aren’t alone._

 

He rests his head on his father’s shoulder, and tries not to think about how unfair life can be.

 

* * *

 

 

Kurt joins the football team and teaches them the Single Ladies dance, like he’s supposed to; it leaves a bitter taste in mouth, and he feels like he might never be clean, like he’s betrayed himself somehow.

 

* * *

 

 

In an ideal world, his father would never work Tuesdays. Then again, in an ideal world, everyone would be accepting of homosexuality and people would only ever wear McQueen or Marc Jacobs, but no one asked Kurt how he would rule the world.

 

Instead, his father has to work late, and normally Kurt would be a little upset by his father missing their bonding time, but he’s not. In fact, he thinks it’s rather perfect.

 

Blaine’s coming over to watch _Glee_ instead, and staying the night.

 

Kurt’s never had a friend sleep over before, especially not a boy, and especially not on a school night. But his dad allows it--just this once!—and Kurt’s too happy to complain.

 

(He thinks Dad might be letting him have a friend over because he knows how upset Kurt is about having to blow the _Defying Gravity_ note, but Kurt doesn’t bring it up and his father doesn’t mention it again.)

 

(The fact that Dalton doesn’t have classes the next day for a teacher in-service may also help.)

 

So Blaine arrives at five o’clock exactly, and together they eat a dinner that’s more fattening than anything else, but Kurt’s too happy to really complain. Having Blaine around is positively infectious—he’s so full of energy and life, even with his naturally curly hair bound down with gel, like trying to repress a hurricane. Kurt just wants to—just wants to _touch_ him, just wants to hold his hand or hug him or—or _something._

 

They make a night out of it, cooking dinner together and watching silly videos on youtube, but as the night rolls on it becomes time, and they huddle together, eager to watch the show.

 

“I’m so excited, you know?” Blaine giggles, curled up on Kurt’s couch as the trail end of another speculative show ends ( _How I Met Your Mother)_. “This is supposed to be the episode I show up in. This is supposed to be _my_ future. Well, my future as it interacts with you and your Glee club, but still! It’s nerve-racking. How do you do it?”

 

Kurt pats him on the back “You get used to it, I promise. Now shhh, it’s starting!”

 

They watch the episode intensely, absorbing the silliness that is the Sam plot (“That’s so mean! Poor Bieste!”) while Kurt comments amusedly that Mr. Schue’s suddenly cares about Kurt being bullied. (“Not like he’s ever cared in the past!”)

 

Then Mr. Schue gives out the Boys vs. Girls assignment, and Puck tells Kurt to go spy on the Garglers (“The _Warblers_ , Puck _.”_ ) who are, apparently, Dalton’s glee club.

 

Kurt turns to Blaine and frowns. “I didn’t know you joined Dalton’s glee club.”

 

Blaine blushes slightly. “That’s because I haven’t. Um, yet, I guess. Maybe this is where I show up?”

 

And _oh_ , there he is, just as beautiful and dreamy as ever. The Blaine on screen seems a lot older, a lot more confident than the boy sitting beside him. But it’s still _Blaine’s_ smile, and it’s still _Blaine_ who takes his hand and shows him a shortcut.

 

It’s still Blaine who _notices_ , even when no one else does.

 

Then he sings _Teenage Dream_ , and, _oh_ , if Kurt was a little in love with Blaine before, it’s nothing compared to how he feels right now, _knowing_ how wonderful the boy beside him already is, and watching how wonderful he’ll be in the future. Dalton is like a wonderland, and Blaine is their Prince, and Kurt can hardly believe that what he’s watching is his fate, it’s too wonderful, too perfect.

 

He can’t help it—he breaks down and cries, quiet, happy tears, and Blaine doesn’t say anything but he does hold his hand, and murmurs half-known lyrics into Kurt’s ears.

 

_You make me feel like I’m living a teenage dream._

 

* * *

 

 

Art imitates life, and soon the Kurt on screen finds himself crying to the Blaine there, too. The Blaine on screen is surprisingly vulnerable and wise, and Kurt finds himself listening with baited breath, because even though they’ve been friends for a while now, there are some things they’ve never really talked about.

 

_I used to get so_ _**angry** _ _._

 

_There’s this Neanderthal who’s making my life a living hell._

 

_You can refuse to be the victim._

 

_Courage._

 

All of which sounds like good advice in _theory_ , but in practice seem less that stellar. Especially as Kurt watches himself walk down the hallway, smiling at a text from Blaine ( _courage)_ \--and then watches himself get slammed into a locker by Karofsky seconds later.

 

The Kurt on screen _snaps._

 

(“This isn’t going to end well.” Kurt tells Blaine, holding his hand tightly. Blaine says nothing, but squeezes his hand in return.)

 

He watches himself be braver than he’s ever felt before in his life, to scream and to rage and _God_ , it feels _good_ , feels like relief swelling inside of him.

 

Then Karofsky kisses him, and Kurt _screams._

 

(“Oh God.” Blaine whispers beside him, griping his hand. “Oh God, oh God, oh God.”)

 

The Kurt on screen pushes Karofsky off, looking all at once like a scared, fragile, _broken_ little boy, hands pressed against his lips like he just had his innocence ripped from him.

 

“Get away from me!” the Kurt on screen screams. Karofsky slams his fist into the locker and storms out.

 

He can’t speak; he can’t _breathe_ right now

 

* * *

 

 

It’s late at night, and Blaine is still talking his ear off.

 

“I’m so sorry, Kurt.” Blaine apologizes for the thousandth time that night, curled up in a sleeping bag on Kurt’s bedroom floor. “I’m so, so sorry.”

 

Kurt blinks up at his ceiling, taking in deep breaths. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

 

“Yes, I do.” Blaine argues stubbornly. “If I hadn’t told you to stand up to him—“

 

“I would have snapped eventually.” Kurt admits. “It’s not your fault.”

 

Blaine frowns, burrowing deeper into the sleeping bag. “You must hate me.”

 

Finally, Kurt rolls over, looking over at Blaine on the floor. “I am so angry with a lot of people right now, but _you_ are not one of them. You’ve done nothing wrong, and I could _never_ hate you.”

 

Blaine blinks up at him, his eyes shining in the darkness of the room. “I just hate it. I hate that he takes that from you, that he’s going to get away with it.”

 

“I pity him.” Kurt confesses, his voice dark and shaky.

 

Blaine sighs. “I guess I do too, really. It must really suck to be _that_ repressed, and then to be outed like that? No one deserves that. I guess I just—I hate that your first kiss had to be like that. Your first kiss should be special, romantic. Not—not _that._ ”

 

Kurt breathes out deeply, sucking the air in between his teeth. “I hate being afraid. I hate that that…that’s just going to make me more afraid.” He confesses softly. “What was your first kiss like?”

 

Blaine snorts. “Wet. And kind of gross. It was with a girl, and it didn’t—it didn’t count.”

 

“Have you ever kissed a boy?”

 

“No. Not ever.”

 

Within a split second, Kurt rolls over and leans off his bed, his face inches away from Blaine’s own. “Will you kiss me, then?”

 

Blaine sucks in his breath. “Won’t that change things? Won’t that mess up the future?”

 

Kurt bites his lips. “I hope so. I don’t—I don’t _like_ the future I keep seeing. I want to change it.”

 

Blaine blinks up at him, his eyes somber and watery. “Okay.”

 

It’s just barely a kiss. They are young and it seems so, so very complicated, the act of pressing lips together. But it’s nice and warm, shooting butterflies straight into Kurt’s stomach, and he thinks that, _oh_ , this is what all the fuss is about.

 

When Blaine pulls away, Kurt has to blink back tears.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Blaine smiles into the darkness. “No, thank _you_ , Kurt. Goodnight.”

 

He falls asleep with a smile on his face.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Karofsky isn’t in school Wednesday. Kurt isn’t surprised: honestly, he’d be surprised if Karofsky was still in _Ohio_ at this point. Kurt doesn’t blame him.

 

He does wish everyone would stop _staring_ , though. He’s okay—nothing has happened yet. Stop treating him like he’s made of glass; he’s _fine._ Honestly, there is no need to form a protective service around him, even if he is flattered that his fellow Glee club members care enough to look out for him like that.

 

If anything, someone needs to find _Karofsky_ and talk to him, because being outed on National TV? Yeah, that’s not cool. Kurt doesn’t believe in outing period, but to do it like that? Someone needs to keep an eye out, make sure he hasn’t killed himself.

 

Normally, Kurt would be happy to talk with him, but after yesterday’s episode (Karofsky’s hands on his face, his lips on his lips, stealing something that wasn’t his to take) he doesn’t want to push it.

 

The entire world knows about Karofsky right now: let them deal with it. It is not Kurt’s responsibility, not like it was on the show. He owes the bully _nothing_ , absolutely nothing: he can be somebody else’s problem now.

 

* * *

 

 

He is sent to Mrs. Pillsbury’s office first thing in the morning.

 

“What’s going to happen to you, Kurt, is called sexual assault.” Only she says it like she’s scared, like sex is a Very Bad Word and she’s going to get in trouble just for talking about it. “You need to know, Kurt, that what’s going to happen isn’t okay. You should talk to an adult about these things.”

 

 _Like you, perhaps?_ Kurt thinks about snapping back, but doesn’t. Instead, he doesn’t say anything, just picks at his sweater and wishes they could invent clothing that makes you invisible instead.

 

“I promise, Ms. Pillsbury, the second something like that happens to me, I’ll come straight to you.” He won’t. He’s lying, and he knows he’s lying, and maybe Ms. Pillsbury knows he’s lying, too, but she just smiles at him warmly and sends on his way.

 

He hates this. He hates that everyone knows his private business. If he had realized this was going to happen he never would have signed that damn contract, would have asked them to please keep him out of it, because it wasn’t worth this.

 

* * *

 

 

Puck, Mike, and Artie all offer to kiss him once Glee club is over; Finn looks over at him like he wants to offer, too, but he can’t, because he’s too afraid of what someone might say if he does.

 

(Or, even worse, what would happen if Kurt says _yes?)_

 

Kurt runs out before they can finish offering, before Quinn and Rachel’s looks of absolute pity get to him, before Mercedes can hug him again.

 

* * *

 

 

Wednesday afternoon, Burt starts putting money back into savings in order to send Kurt to Dalton. He doesn’t say anything about the episode, but Kurt can tell he wants to, but that he’s just not sure what to say.

 

 _Stop treating me like I’m broken._ Kurt wants to scream, to put it on a t-shirt and wear it with pride. _I am not a victim._ _ **Nothing**_ _has happened yet!_

 

 _But it will._ A dark part of his mind whispers, because everything else that he’s seen on the show has happened—why wouldn’t this?

 

He’s about ready to scream out in frustration when he gets a text message from Blaine. It’s not like the texts he normally gets from Blaine, but the familiarity of it warms his soul.

 

_Courage._

 

Have courage. Be brave. This, too, will pass.

 

He smiles and lifts his head up. _Courage._ He can do this.

 

* * *

 

 

To Kurt’s absolute lack of surprise, Blaine is a hit character. _Teenage Dream_ outsells even the best selling _Glee_ song so far. Blaine’s three-episode contract is rewritten almost immediately to include him in for the rest of the season. The Dalton Academy Warblers have all but kidnapped Blaine and made him their mascot.

 

According to the tumblr-that-Kurt-absolutely-does-not-have-and-no-you-can’t-have-his-url, Blaine is almost exclusively shipped with Kurt. Everyone is going on and on about how cute and adorable Kurt-and-Blaine are, how great it is that Kurt finally has a love interest, how much they are looking forward to seeing the older boy sweep Kurt off his feet.

 

(Which makes Kurt _laugh,_ because while they are technically the same age, Blaine’s birthday comes after September, and so Blaine’s actually a grade _below_ Kurt. But the fans don’t know this, so Kurt just smiles and keeps reading their comments, wondering what the reaction will be when the learn the truth.)

 

Unfortunately, Blaine’s sudden popularity also means Blaine is _unavailable._ Which, okay, fine, they are not so codependent that they can’t go a few days without talking to each other, but compared to their once near-constant communication, Kurt really feels the distance. Especially since on _Glee_ this week, he has to watch his and Mercedes friendship start to fall apart, which really, really hurts because _God_ , why can’t anything go his way, just once?

 

As a result, he keeps spending more and more time with Finn. And, God, his crush on Finn is horribly embarrassing and destined to end terribly, but Kurt can’t help it. Finn is one of the only constant things in his life, both right now and in the future.

 

“So what ballad did you want to sing?” Finn asks, a lazy half-grin on his face as they sit together in the auditorium, Finn having just sang a song to a daughter that isn’t his.

 

Kurt breathes. “I honestly love you.”

 

But Finn’s reaction in real life is even worse than it was in the show. “Thanks, bro!” He ruffles Kurt’s hair affectionately, like one might do to a brother. “Love you too.”

 

He thinks it might’ve hurt less if he had just stabbed him in the heart instead.

 

* * *

 

 _Glee_ takes a hiatus after the Chirstmas episode airs. Which works for Kurt, because he needs some time to process what he’s learned since then. Namely, that Karofsky’s going to _threaten his life_ , so much so that he’s going to have to transfer to Dalton. Which, judging from the Christmas episode ( _Oh baby it’s cold outside)_ might not be a bad thing.   
  


Contact with Blaine has been hit-or-miss. They still text and talk, but it’s just not the same. He doesn’t think Blaine is actively avoiding him, but it’s almost like he’s scared—scared to spend time with him, now that he’s on Glee.

 

Which is so _stupid_ and _frustrating_ and really, all Kurt wants is his best friend back. They don’t have to be romantic like the internet wants, they can just be _friends_ , but he—he doesn’t have the _words_ , he doesn’t know how to say that.

 

Even better, Rachel is throwing a Christmas party for the Glee Club, which Kurt doesn’t *really* want to go to but will because, well, what else is he going to do for Christmas?

 

* * *

 

_I’m being harassed by a guy in Paris. Is this normal?_


End file.
